English Texts

Manga, Anime, live-action movies, sushi, chopsticks and some neatly folded paperwork, which I later on figured to be called Origami – those were basically the only things that would come to my mind if someone ever asked me about Japan. Yet, just like any other country, after a fairly good acquaintance with Japanese culture and lifestyle, it turned out to be much richer than what I had imagined it to be. So, my preference list got messed up pretty quick. I love Manga and I love live-action movies, but my favorite is currently none of both. Instead, it’s what even some hardcore fans of Japanese pop culture know little about: Japanese TV series – in Asian fandom terminology: J-Dramas.

DRAGONBALL Z: RESURRECTION ‘F’ made it to German cinemas in September. It was the second DBZ movie the master himself – Akira Toriyama – was involved in. According to rumor our nostalgia expert Brian D. Ackermann likes to stage 10 minute versions of the most beloved DBZ stories at weddings and birthday parties. Needless to say he was our man to attend a special screening in Berlin with Japanese producer Norihiro Hayashida present. Talking to Mr. Hayashida he discovered why Freeza was dug up as the super villain once again and what the American fanbase is truly into.

When Michael Arias debuted with his movie TEKKONKINKREET ten years ago, he not only lived the dream of the dedicated anime fan, but also became the first non-Japanese director of a feature-length animated movie. At the Japanese Film Festival Nippon Connection we talked with Arias about his new movie HARMONY, a project that never happened and how he came to direct a remake of a German movie starring Til Schweiger.ENGLISH VERSION below!

March and April in Japan are synonym with sakura (cherry blossoms) and hanami. Hanami literally means “flower viewing” (花 hana, flower; 見 mi, view). Although it can refer to any flower, it’s usually associated with sakura. When these flowers are in season, people of all ages from everywhere around the country get their blue picnic mats and head for the parks to do hanami. This spring, I was lucky enough to experience hanami and sakura in Tokyo and other places in Japan. This is a truthful chronology of the events that made me become a sakura-otaku.

Tanuki Republic is opening the first page of the Anime Atlas! We’re signing on writers around the globe, in order to find out, what the standing of anime and manga is their respective countries. How did it all begin? What had an impact, what didn’t? And how are things today? Maria Riu Piñol from Barcelona is kicking off our new series with her report on the independence seeking Spanish province of Catalonia – Non-Catalan speakers, do fear not: in English!